Texas

[TexasLisa]

Happy Father's day to all the ... brood roosters

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY Hung!!!

 

[Gittx]

Having nightmares ...snakes in nest boxes ...yikes! And another nightmare to share... I pulled the nest boxes away from the wall with my husbands help as it was looking like a rates nest in the back with packed up shavings and nest material and feathers and sure enough pulled back and three rats run for it. I am running backwards as husband is asking for me to retrieve a shovel. GAH! Need more traps!

I found one in the nest box with my broody easter egg bantam. He had her head in his mouth, and was trying to get the rest of her. They fell out of the nest together onto the ground outside. I ran and got a cinder block and dropped it on the snakes midsection. Then I ran in the house, got a gun and shot the sucker 9 times. I was so mad, I went back into the house and got another loaded gun and emptied it on him. My sweet little bantam was gone, but so was the snake. Sometimes fury can provide the necessary actions.

 

[Ren2014]

The only good snake...you will notice that his head is gone and he is still shaking his rattle...


he became a tasty snack for some red ants and a couple of buzzards...

Glad you got him!

A snake is something I don't ignore. I just shoot them.

x2

Well it got eggs. But it also got away before they got back with the gun. So now they are on hypervigilance snake watch it's a bull snake but I agree only good snake is ....... you know!

O no, sorry to hear this.

they get him before he gets more eggs.

My mom moved the lawnmower and I found a nest of 6 baby rats. Sorry momma, but if I didn't take them, they would of been killed.

I used to think they were cute, lol.

OK, so here is what will sound like a stupid question.

I walk into my coop. I see this. Say it's a rattlesnake. I am alone. What do I do? I don't have a gun, and even if I did, I'm not sure I'd want to shoot out my nest boxes. Does one wait for it to move before going after it with shovel/other implement (or gun)? Do you try to dislodge it with the handle of a tool?

(I found myself asking these questions in my head after seeing this photo...)

- Ant Farm

Back out slowly. Run like heck and get a gun. If no gun, call a neighbor or someone with a gun. Blow the poisonous sucker away. Replace nest box if necessary.

We have rattlesnakes like crazy around here. I will not fight a rattlesnake with a tool. They can strike the length of their body and that's just too close for me. We have yet to find one going after anything in the chicken coop or duck house. I thank God it's always nonpoisonous snakes that we find going after stuff. Non poisonous snakes will slither away and quickly at that, but if cornered they will fight. I don't care to get bit by them either. I once put a heavy rock down on one to hold it until I could get a gun.

I highly recommend you get a gun and take lessons to use it properly.

I'd rather not get that close. Nesting boxes can be replaced. People can't.

x2

I found one in the nest box with my broody easter egg bantam. He had her head in his mouth, and was trying to get the rest of her. They fell out of the nest together onto the ground outside. I ran and got a cinder block and dropped it on the snakes midsection. Then I ran in the house, got a gun and shot the sucker 9 times. I was so mad, I went back into the house and got another loaded gun and emptied it on him. My sweet little bantam was gone, but so was the snake. Sometimes fury can provide the necessary actions.

Sorry for your loss. I would have probably done the same thing.

 

[StelleKitten]

Hi y'all! New member here, living in beautiful Austin and just starting our first flock. We've got 4 speckled sussex, 1 buff orpington and 1 ameraucana (pretty sure she's actually an easter egger). glad to have a few dry days so we can get the coop finished!

Hi welcome to BYC!

welcome aboard....you do know Arlo was afraid of the chickens ....right? Lol

Guthrie?

anybody else here dealt with someone wh thiks steir birds are way better than everybodies. just saw a guy asking if his hes was a RIR and the this guy put a picture of his rooster up and said this is a RIR but when the first guy put his rooster up and it looked way better, he did the same to me and when i asked for a price on 9 or 10 he wouldnt even respond, so hows yours better if yours cant even have a price to them

I've only ever said something bad about someone else's birds when the chicks were sickly. I'm not sure how they managed to get their chicks covered in mites, way underweight, and absolutely filthy. The chicks were less than a week old (from what he said, they looked older to me). And then I didn't say anything directly bad, I just told the lady she should try to make sure the people she buys her birds from keep them clean. Dirty pens can breed illness and make your birds die pretty quick. I gave her some powder to mix in their water (gatorade for critters), and showed her how to quickly bathe birds without letting them get chilled. Those poor babies were nearly naked after the bath and removal of feces and gunk. I guess my point is, everyone breeds differently but there are some things you had best be on the ball about. Clean birds are healthy birds. (and no, I'm not talking spotless, especially with all the rains)

Hi everyone,
New to BYC, starting my "backyard farm" with quail. My first attempt with poultry excluding the pigeons I showed while a youngster. I'm in Wacko Waco and would love any advice. Thanks

Welcome! I was from Waco some years ago.

I'm sorry if I missed anyone. My browser is acting all stupid. I have some pics just trying to get them to upload but I think I need to run a virus scan. Hope things are going well with everyone!

 

[NickyPick]

Hey - does anyone here raise sheep? I'm starting to think about starting a flock of hair sheep when I move up to my land in a few years. Got plenty of room for them and the place I sell my eggs is already interested. I need to get some hands on information after I go through the books.

 

[TherryChicken]

Glad you got him!

x2


O no, sorry to hear this. they get him before he gets more eggs.
I used to think they were cute, lol.

Back out slowly. Run like heck and get a gun.  If no gun, call a neighbor or someone with a gun.  Blow the poisonous sucker away.  Replace nest box if necessary. 

We have rattlesnakes like crazy around here.  I will not fight a rattlesnake with a tool.  They can strike the length of their body and that's just too close for me.  We have yet to find one going after anything in the chicken coop or duck house.  I thank God it's always nonpoisonous snakes that we find going after stuff. Non poisonous snakes will slither away and quickly at that, but if cornered they will fight.  I don't care to get bit by them either.  I once put a heavy rock down on one to hold it until I could get a gun.

I highly recommend you get a gun and take lessons to use it properly.

x2

Sorry for your loss.  I would have probably done the same thing.

Love them, just don't like the diseases they carry and the mess they make

 

[RoosterCogburn7]

Top what you need is a hanging feeder so the rats can't get to the feed. Next some plastic poison traps big enough for the rats to get their heads in and not your birds. Once the feed source is out of reach of the rats they will eat the poison and you will be collecting more dead rats than you will know what to do with. The snakes are principally there for the rats but they will eat your eggs too.

 

[TexasLisa]

Background: My husband just finished 'rebuilding' a '65 GMC pickup. He was told at the DMV the plates would be cheaper if he had an AG exemption. Save money wherever we can.

The only animals we have right now are our chickens. I sell their eggs. Is that enough to get an exemption? Are there pros and cons to getting one? (We've thought about gettings cows, raising bees, and/or pigs.)

THANKS!

 

[Ren2014]

Top what you need is a hanging feeder so the rats can't get to the feed. Next some plastic poison traps big enough for the rats to get their heads in and not your birds. Once the feed source is out of reach of the rats they will eat the poison and you will be collecting more dead rats than you will know what to do with. The snakes are principally there for the rats but they will eat your eggs too.

Problem with poisoning them is if a dog or a cat get to them before you do, it can kill the dog or cat.

Background: My husband just finished 'rebuilding' a '65 GMC pickup. He was told at the DMV the plates would be cheaper if he had an AG exemption. Save money wherever we can.

The only animals we have right now are our chickens. I sell their eggs. Is that enough to get an exemption? Are there pros and cons to getting one? (We've thought about gettings cows, raising bees, and/or pigs.)

THANKS!

I don't think chickens/selling eggs will qualify for an Ag exemption. We have one because we have cattle. It makes a HUGE difference on our taxes.

 

[MultipleAnimals]

Background:  My husband just finished 'rebuilding' a '65 GMC pickup.  He was told at the DMV the plates would be cheaper if he had an AG exemption. Save money wherever we can. 

The only animals we have right now are our chickens.  I sell their eggs.  Is that enough to get an exemption?  Are there pros and cons to getting one?  (We've thought about gettings cows, raising bees, and/or pigs.)

THANKS!

How Big Is Your Property? We're on a Quarter Acre and We Can Have Goats, Pigs, Chickens, A Garden , And Do Some beekeeping. Right Now I am Getting A Goat And Donkey, I Have Chickens, And I Have A Garden. I Think All You Should Need Is Some Goats, Chickens, And A Garden. But that is what I think. Look it up and see what you need to Qualify for The Ag Exemption.